Pattern mechanism for knitting machines



March 8, 1938. E. SPIERS ET AL 2,110,823

PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITIVING MACHINES Filed Nov. 18, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet. 1

[11 we niors,

M c/W awc/zmw March 8, '1938.

E. SPIERS ET AL PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES .4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 18, 1936 fm/eniors; r 5y! JQMM March s, 1938. ER T A 2,110,823

PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 18, 1936 I 4 Sheets-Sheet, I

Invaders March 8, 1938. E. SPIERS ET AL 2,110,823

PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 18, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATTERN MECHANISM FUR KNITTING MACHINES ish company Application November 18, 1936, Serial No. 111,500 In Great Britain November 20, 1935 9 Claims.

This invention relates to pattern mechanism for knitting machines, more particularly for circular knitting machines, and is applicable to pattern controlling variable selecting means comprising selector members or elements for selectively operating needles, jacks, sliders and/or other instrumentalities to be controlled for patterning purposes, and a pattern controlling unit such, for example, as a wheel, drum or cylinder, having pins, pegs, screws, presser elements with butts thereon, cam bits prearranged therein or thereon in accordance with a predetermined pattern or design.

The invention is advantageously applicable to pattern mechanism of the type concerned wherein the pattern controlling unit acts selectively upon selector levers or cam members which in turn act directly upon the needles or other instrumentalities to be controlled, or upon interposed independently slidable or pivoted bits or equivalent elements. Examples of pattern mechanism of this character are disclosed respectively in the specifications of British Patents Nos. 267,876 and 282,904. The mechanism disclosed in specification No. 267,876 includes selector levers or cam members adapted to act selectively upon jacks associated with the needles of a circular knitting machine under the influence of the pattern controlling unit, and that disclosed in specification No. 282,904 includes similar selector levers or cam members adapted to act selectively, under the influence of. the pattern controlling unit, upon bits or equivalent elements arranged in an obliquely disposed wheel or drum for action selectively in turn upon needles or associated jacks or sliders.

The object of the present invention is to make provision in connection with pattern mechanism of the type described whereby changes from one effect to another can be made in a simple manner during the production of knitted fabric without necessarily changing the prearrangement or set out of the aforesaid pattern controlling unit. The invention may, for example, be adopted for the purpose of changing from one pattern or design to another pattern or design which may be of an entirely different character. The invention moreover is. of. very practical utility in con nection with circular knitting machines of the double axially opposed needle cylinder type equipped with double ended needles transferable from one cylinder to the other by means of sliders Y for changing the character of the knitting from another, say from 1/1 to 2/2. It is becoming increasingly the practice in machines of this type to provide pattern mechanism of the type referred to for producing a diversity of stitch efiects such as jacquard, purl designs or fancy rib eiiects, tuck effects and others familiar to those skilled in the art and it is frequently required to change from the production of pattern or fancy effects to rib combinations, especially in machines of the superposed needle cylinder type adapted to produce knitted garment lengths having ordinary or fancy rib borders with welts and a patterned body portion, or with ordinary or fancy rib or plain bands between pattern or de sign areas. The primary purpose of the present invention is to enable this to be done automatically in a very simple manner without disturbing the conventional pattern mechanism employed in producing the pattern or design areas, so that after a period of rib or plain knitting the mechanism can at once resume the production of the required pattern or design.

According to the invention there is provided, in association with pattern mechanism of. the type concerned, an auxiliary controlling unit which may be adapted to act upon the same selector members or elements as the main controlling unit or on additional selector members or elements of the same kind so that the effect produced by the existing unit is varied according to predetermined requirements.

The auxiliary unit may be in all respects simi lar to the main controlling unit apart from the prearrangement of the pins, pegs, screws, presser elements or cam bits thereon or therein; it may, a I

however, be smaller, more particularly as regards diameter, than the main unit.

'While the invention is not necessarily limited in this respect the auxiliary unit is preferably operated by separate means so that its operation can be controlled quite independently of the main unit. It may also occupy a fixed-position in relation to the selector members or elements upon which it is to act, provision being made for preventing rotatory movement of the unit for as long as may be required according to the results to be achieved. In such case the set out or prearrangement of the pins, pegs, screws, presserelements or cam bits may be such as to provide a gap or space which when the unit is at rest is located opposite to the selector members or elements so that the latter are not aiiected.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of so much of the upper part ofthe machine as is necessary to illustrate the application thereto of the said pattern mechanism.

Figures 2 and 3 are side elevational and plan views respectively ofv the pattern mechanism per se.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line IVIV of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line VV of Figure 3.

Figures 6 and 7 are detail side elevational and plan views respectively illustrating means which are employed for bluffing the driving mechanism of the auxiliary controlling unit.

Figure 8 is a detail view hereinafter to be explained.

Figure 1 is drawn to a smaller scale than the remainder of the figures.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the pattern mechanism includes an obliquely disposed cylinder or drum, such as containing independently movable, e. g., pivotal, bits, such as 2, for action upon needles or associated jacks or sliders (not shown), a correspondingly disposed pattern controlling unit 3 in the form of a drum or cylinder and an interposed series of selector levers 4. As is customary in mechanism of this character the drum or cylinder 3 has prearranged therein pins, pegs or screws, such as 5 (see Figures 3 and 5) to operate the selector levers in a selective manner, these selector levers being adapted in turn to act upon the movable bits 2. In the specific example shown, the obliquely disposed cylinder or drum I and the pattern controlling unit 3 are mounted together in a bracket or like support, such as 6, secured in any suitable manner to the bed plate T of the machine. Moreover, the drum or cylinder 3 is adapted to be racked round, 1. e., rotated intermittently by pawl and ratchet mechanism, such as 8, 8a, which is placed under the control of any suitable timing mechanism of the machine. Conveniently, and as shown, the pawl and ratchet mechanism 8, 8a may be operated by cam means associated with the cylinder bevel gear 9 and adapted to operate through intermediate connections such as II], N and I2 (see more particularly Figure 1).

In the practical example of the invention now being described, the aum'liary unit consists, as shown more clearly in Figure 4, of a small drum or cylinder l3 studded with pins or pegs such as M which are loosely inserted in plain holes |3a in accordance with the effect to be produced. The drum or cylinder I3 is surrounded by a cylindrical casing l5 and is adapted to work on an obliquely disposed spindle or axle I6 mounted in the bracket or like support 6. The said spindle or axle is disposed parallel to the axis of the main pattern controlling unit 3 and is conveniently screw threaded at its lower end so that it can be screwed into a correspondingly screw-threaded hole 6a in the bracket 6. The casing |5 serves to maintain the pins or pegs in position and has formed therein a plurality of slots |5a arranged one above the other for a purpose hereinafter specified. If, of course, as they may be, the pins the spindle or axle 6.

drum or cylinder |3 and has rotatably mounted thereon a two-armed lever 2| the two arms 2|a and 2 lb of which extend more or less in opposite directions and are separated by a sleeve-like portion 2 la. The lever 2| is supported by the ratchet wheel I! and prevented from being displaced axially by means of a cap 22 secured, e. g., by means of a grub screw, such as 23, to the upper end of The arm Zla aforesaid extends over the ratchet wheel I1 and carries at its outer end a pawl 24 for engagement with said wheel. The pawl is controlled by a spring 25 which holds it in contact with the ratchet wheel ll and is conveniently mounted on a pivot pin 26 inserted in the arm 2 la. The lever 2| is turned at the appropriate times in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 3 to impart the operative strokes to the pawl 24, by means of a twoarmed lever 21 which is pivoted on a stud 28 carried by the bracket or like support 6 and adapted to be operated for the intended purpose by an arm 29 the movements of which are controlled by cam means suitably associated with the cylinder bevel gear 9 as hereinafter more fully described. A spring 30' suitably anchored at one end to the lever 2| and at the other end to a suitable part of or on the bracket or like support 6 serves to impart the idle strokes to the pawl 24. As will be seen, the arms 21a and 21b of the lever 21 extend in opposite directions and are formed at the opposite ends of a sleeve or boss 210 which is loosely mounted on the stud 28 and retained in position thereon, for example by means of a washer 3| and screw 32. The end of the arm 21a is adapted to bear on the free end of the arm 2 |a aforesaid, while the lever 21b is formed with a boss 21d internally screwthreaded for the reception of a screw 33. As shown in Figure 1, this screw makes contact with the operative end of the arm 29 and consequently, when the latter is rocked forward an operative stroke of the pawl 24 is efiected. The screw 33 also provides a means of adjusting the operative strokes of the pawl.

A back stop pawl or the equivalent, such as 34, is provided to prevent backward rotation of the drum or cylinder I3 after it has been racked round by the pawl and ratchet mechanism just described. In the specific example illustrated, the

back stop pawl 34 is pivoted at 35 to a bracket 36 of angular form suitably secured to the main bracket 6 by means of bolts 31 (see Figure 3) and is adapted to engage the ratchet wheel H3. The pawl 34, moreover, is controlled by means of a suitably arranged spring 38 and projects into the casing l5 through a slot |5b appropriately formed therein. 7

The means for rocking the arm 29 forward and consequently effecting the operative strokes of the pawl 24 to rack round the auxiliary pattern controlling unit i3 will now be described with reference, more particularly, to Figures 6 and 7. As will be seen, the arm 29 is rigidly secured to one end of a short spindle 39 which is mounted to rotate in a bracket 40 conveniently'secured in any suitable manner to the underside of the bed plate 7. The other end of the spindle 39 has an arm 4| non-rotatably mounted thereon, the arrangement of the arms 29 and 4| being such that they constitute, in effect, a single bell crank lever. Mounted loosely on the spindle 39 adjacent the arm 4| is another arm 42 furnished at its outer end with a roller 43 for co-operation with a cam or cams, such as 44, formed or provided on the cylinder bevel gear 9 (see Figure 1) the arrangement being such that when the said,

gear rotates, the arm 42 is lifted and allowed to fall again at predetermined intervals. Means of any suitable character are provided for connecting and disconnecting the arm 4| to and from the cam-operated arm 42, whereby the movement of the latter can be transmitted to the arm 29 at such times as it is required to rack round the auxiliary controlling unit I 3. Conveniently for this purpose, and as shown, a spring-controlled plunger 43 is suitably accommodated in a boss 4|a formed on the arm 4| and is adapted at the appropriate times to be forced against the action of a spring 44 into the path of the cam-operated arm 42. In Figure 7 the plunger 43 is shown in its projected position in which position it rests on the top of the arm 42 and thus, in efiect, connects the latter with the arm 4|. Thus, when the arms are so connected and the cam-operated arm 42 rises, the spindle 39 is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 6, and the arm 29is consequently rocked forward to operate the lever 21. Conversely, when the arm 42 falls, the arm 29 and the lever 21 return to their normal inoperative positions. Whenever, after having been projected, the plunger 43 is released, the latter is retracted by the spring 44 with the result that the rising and falling movements of the arm 42 are then idle and have no effect on the adjacent parts of the mechanism. Any suitable means may, of course, be provided to effect projection of the plunger at the appropriate times. In the specific arrangement illustrated, a plate 45 pivotally mounted on a stud 46 depending from the bracket 40 is employed for this purpose. The said plate is adapted to act on the end portion 43a of the plunger 43 and is moved inwardly to press the plunger against the action of its spring by the existing or other suitable timing mechanism on the machine through intermediate connections, such as 47, 48 (see Figure '7). Thus, as will be understood, the means just described not only operate the ratchet mechanism for racking round the unit I3 but also efiectively blufis the said mechanism when required so that racking of the unit can be started and stopped according to prearrangement depending on the effect to be produced.

Since the ratchet mechanism for racking round the main pattern controlling unit 3 is operated from the same gear wheel 9 as is the ratchet mechanism for driving the auxiliary unit l3, these two units can readily be driven in timed relation with each other.

The selector levers 4 associated with the main pattern controlling unit 3 are pivotally mounted on a pin 49 suitably secured in the bracket or like support 6 and adapted to act on butts, such as 2a on the bits 2 aforesaid. A- separate bank of selector levers is provided above the levers 4 and arranged so as to be acted upon by the pins M in the auxiliary drum or cylinder l3. 'I'he levers 50 are adapted to act on extra butts, such as 2b provided on the bits 2 above the butts 2a thereon and are arranged to project through the slots |5a in the cylindrical casing |5.

Since, in the particular mechanism illustrated, the bits 2 are pivotally mounted each of the said bits, when selectively acted upon by one of the levers 4 or 50, is depressed into the corresponding trick la in the obliquely disposed cylinder or drum When, in pattern mechanism of the character so far described, both the main and the auxiliary controlling units are in operation, the pattern effects normally produced'are the result of the r 52 against the action of the spring 55.

conjoint selections of the appropriate instrumentalities (such as 2) effected by said units. If, however, it is desired to effect at the auxiliary unit a selection of the instrumentalities which is entirely different from the selection effected at the main unit, provision must, of course, be made for neutralizing the effect produced by the main unit before a re-selection of the instrumentalities can be effected by the auxiliary unit. In this latter connection means may, if desired, be provided for pushing forward again those bits 2 which are selected by reason of the operation of the main unit 3. Such means, when provided, conveniently consists, as shown in Figures 3 and 8, of a nullifying lever 5| pivotally mounted at 52 on a bracket 53 secured, for example by means of screws 54, to a convenient part of the cylinder or drum I. This lever is formed with a downwardly projecting part 5|a. adapted when the lever is suitably moved to act on the rear edges of selected bits 2 and to push these bits forward to a position such as that indicated more clearly in Figure 5. The lever 5|, which is normally held in an inoperative position away from the bits 2 by a tension spring 55, may be operated for the intended purpose, i. e., turned against the action of its spring, in any suitable manner. Preferably, however, the lever carries at the end thereof remote from the part 5|a. a roller 56 adapted normally to seat in a recess 2|d formed in the free end of the arm Zlb of the lever 2|. Now, as will be understood, it is necessary for the neutralizing lever 5| to be operated immediately prior to each racking movement of the drum or cylinder l3. In order to enable this to be done, the pawl 24 is arranged so that in its normal inoperative position it extends short of the bottom of the notches between the teeth of the ratchet Wheel Consequently, when the lever 2| is operated in the manner aforesaid, it moves to a slight extent before imparting to the pawl an actual operative stroke. During this initial movement of the lever 5|, the roller 55 is caused to ride up the concave surface of the recess 2 Id with the result that the said lever is operated, i. e., turned on its pivot After being displaced in this manner, however, the roller 56 is supported on an arcuate-shaped part 2|e of the arm 2|b and is thus maintained stationary during the further movement of the lever 2|. When the racking of the auxiliary controlling unit is stopped, the neutralizing lever 5| is, of course, returned by the spring 55 to its inoperative position.

When it is desired to produce a particular rib combination, e. g. 2/2, by means of the auxiliary pattern controlling unit |3, some of the bits 2 employed in the cylinder or drum I may each be formed with a further e. g., upper, patterning butt, such as 20, said butts being additional to the butts 2b aforesaid and reserved for the production of such effects. These butts are. acted upon by a corresponding selector lever, for example 5911., provided for that purpose and in turn operated at the appropriate times by a corresponding series of pins or pegs, such as l4, suitably prearranged in one of the series of holes I311, e. g. the uppermost series, in accordance with the rib combination to be produced. If, for example, in the event of it being desired to producea 2/2 rib combination, pairs of bits 2 with the butts 20 would be arranged alternately with pairs of bits without such butts and the said series of pins or pegs would be prearranged so as to render the corresponding selector cam op-' erative at appropriate times, so that the bits with the butts 2c would be pushed in and rendered inoperative leaving the other bits operative to effect transference of corresponding needles to the opposite cylinder.

The specific example of the invention herein described is applied, as shown in Figure l, to a circular knitting machine of the superposed needle cylinder type equipped with double ended needles such as 5! operated by sliders such as 58 for action selectively on the sliders in the plain cylinder 59 either for the purpose of producing patterns or designs by selective'operation of the plain needles and changing from one such pattern or design to another, or for eifecting selective transference of needles to produce fancy rib and/or purl effects and changing from such effects to ordinary rib combinations, in the production of body fabric, garment lengths such as jumpers, pullovers, slipovers, jackets or the like; the said example may, however, also be applied to a seamless hose machine of the same type, or to circular plain machines or circular machines of the cylinder and dial type.

Pattern mechanism of the type concerned is especially applicable to rotary cylinder machines, but is not necessarily limited in this respect.

What we claim then is:-

1. In a knitting machine, pattern mechanism comprising, in combination, selector members for effecting selective operation of needles to be controlled for patterning purposes, a main pattern controlling unit having associated therewith elements prearranged in accordance with a predetermined pattern and adapted to act uponthe said selector members, an auxiliary pattern controlling unit also for action on the se lector members and adapted to operate so as to vary the effect produced by the said main unit for any of the purposes herein set forth, said auxiliary controlling unit occupying a fixed position in relation to the selector members upon which it is to act, pawl and ratchet mechanism for intermittently rotating the main unit, similar and separate mechanism for rotating the auxiliary unit in timed relation with the said main unit, means for automatically blufilng the driving mechanism for the auxiliary unit at required times so that said mechanism is rendered ineffective for predetermined intervals, and timing mechanism for controlling the. last mentioned driving mechanism.

2. Pattern mechanism for knitting machines comprising, in combination, a drum, independently movable elements in said drum for effecting selective operation of needles to be controlled for patterning purposes, said elements having two series of butts thereon, a main pattern controlling unit having associated therewith elements prearranged in accordance with a predetermined pattern, a series, of selector members interposed between said unit and the drum and adapted to be acted upon selectively by said unit and in turn to act on one of the series of butts on the independently movable elements in the drum, an auxiliary pattern controlling unit substantially similar to the main unit (apart from the prearrangement of the elements associated therewith), and, interposed between the auxiliary unit and the drum, an additional series of selector members adapted to be acted upon selectively by the auxiliary unit and in turn to act on the other series of butts on the independent ly movable elements in the drum, the arrangement being such that the effect produced by the main unit can be varied for any of the purposes herein set forth.

3. Pattern mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the additional selector members and the corresponding butts on the independently movable elements in the drum to be acted upon are provided above the selector members and butts corresponding with the main pattern controlling unit.

4. In a knitting machine pattern mechanism comprising, in combination, a drum, independently movable elements in said drum for effecting selective operation of needles to be controlled for patterning purposes, a main pattern controlling unit having associated therewith elements prearranged in accordance with a predetermined pattern, a series of selector members interposed between said unit and the drum and adapted to be acted upon selectively by said unit and in turn to act on the independently movable elements in the drum, an auxiliary pattern controlling unit substantially similar to the main unit (apart from the prearrangement of the elements associated therewith), an additional series of selector members interposed between the auxiliary unit and the drum, said members being adapted to be acted upon selectively by the auxiliary unit and in turn to act on theindependently movable elements in the drum, pawl and ratchet mechanism for rotating the main controlling unit in an intermittent manner, similar and separate mechanism for intermittently rotating the auxiliary controlling unit in timed relation with the main unit, and blufiing means associated with the last mentioned mechanism and adapted to be controlled from the timing mechanism of the machine so that the intermittent rotation of the auxiliary unit can be started and stopped according to prearrangement, the arrangement being such that the effect produced by the main unit can be varied, for any of the purposes herein set forth.

5. Patterning mechanism for knitting machines comprising, in combination, an obliquely disposed drum, independently movable elements in said drum for effecting selective operation of needles to be controlled for patterning purposes, said elements having two series of butts thereon, a correspondingly disposed main pattern controlling unit in the form of a cylinder studded with pins inserted in holes therein, said pins being prearranged in accordance with a predetermined pattern, a support for the main unit, a series of selector members interposed between said unit and the obliquely disposed drum and adapted to be acted upon selectively by said unit and in turn to act on one of the series of butts on the inde pendently movable elements in the drum, an auxiliary patterning unit also mounted on said support and substantially similar in form to the main unit (apart from the prearrangement of the pins therein), an additional series of selector members interposed between the auxiliary unit and the obliquely disposed drum, said members being adapted to be acted upon selectively by the auxiliary unit and in turn to act on the other series of butts on the independently movable elements in the drum, so that the effect produced by the main unit can be varied for any of the purposes herein set forth, pawl and ratchet mechanism for rotating the main controlling unit in an intermittent manner, similar and separate mechanism for intermittently rotating the auxiliary controlling unit in timed relation with the main unit, and bluffing means associated with the last mentioned mechanism and adapted to be controlled in such a way as to start and stop the rotation of the auxiliary unit according to prearrangement.

6. Pattern mechanism for knitting machines comprising, in combination, a drum, independently movable elements in said drum for effecting selective operation of needles to be controlled for patterning purposes, a main pattern controlling unit having associated therewith elements prearranged in accordance with a predetermined pattern, a series of selector members interposed between said unit and the drum and adapted to be acted upon selectively by said unit and in turn to act on predetermined independently movable elements in the drum, an auxiliary pattern controlling unit substantially similar to the main unit (apart from the prearrangement of the elements associated therewith), an additional series of selector members interposed between the auxiliary unit and the drum and adapted to be acted upon selectively by the said auxiliary unit and in turn to act on predetermined independently movable elements in the drum, and means for moving at the appropriate times those independently movable elements selected by the main unit so that an entirely fresh selection of the said elements can be effected by the auxiliary controlling unit, all for the purposes herein set forth.

7. Pattern mechanism for knitting machines comprising, in combination, a rotary drum adapted to be mounted eccentrically with respect to the needle circle, independently movable elements in said drum for effecting selective operation of needles to be controlled for patterning purposes, a main pattern controlling unit having associated therewith elements prearranged in accordance with a predetermined pattern, said main unit being adapted to effect selective operation of the independently movable elements in said drum, and an auxiliary pattern controlling unit also adapted to effect selective operation of the independently movable elements in the drum, for the purposes herein described.

8. Pattern mechanism for knitting machines comprising, in combination, a rotary drum adapted to be mounted eccentrically with respect to the needle circle, independently movable elements in said drum for effecting selective operation of needles to be controlled for patterning purposes, a main pattern controlling unit having associated therewith elements prearranged in accordance with a predetermined pattern, a series of selector members adapted to be acted upon selectively by said unit and in turn to act selectively upon the independently movable elements, in said drum, and an auxiliary pattern controlling unit adapted to act selectively upon the same selector members as the main unit, for the purposes herein described.

9. Pattern mechanism for knitting machines comprising, in combination, a rotary drum adapted to be mounted eccentrically with respect to the needle circle, independently movable elements in said drum for effecting selective operation of needles to be controlled for patterning purposes, a main pattern controlling unit having associated therewith elements prearranged in accordance with a predetermined pattern, a series of selector members interposed between said unit and the drum and adapted to be acted upon selectively by said unit and in turn to act on predetermined independently movable elements in the drum, an auxiliary pattern controlling unit, and, interposed between the auxiliary unit and the drum, an additional series of selector members adapted to be acted upon selectively by the auxiliary unit and in turn to act on predetermined independently movable elements in the drum, the arrangement being such that the eiTect produced by the main unit can be varied, for any of the purposes herein set forth.

ERNEST SPIERS. JOHN CYRIL HERBERT HURD. 

